Lid for journal-boxes.



P. BROWN.

LID FOR JOURNAL BOXES.-

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14. 1916 Patented Nov. 27, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET P. BROWN.

LID FOR JOURNAL BOXES. APPLICATION FILED Nov.14. 191s.

Patented Nov. 27, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Psi-ammonia; or ooRAor'oL'Is, PENNSYLVANIA.

LID non JOURNAL-BOXES.

Specification of Letters Patent; I Patent-Q6} N 2}, W917.

Application filed november 14., 1916. Serial no. 131,318.

17 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERRY' BROWN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Coraopolis, in'the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lids for Journal-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lids for journal boxes and to the device for locking the lid closed. One of the objects of m invention is to provide a lid for a journal'box so constructed that even if left open it will automatically.close as the cars strike and at the same time automatically lock.

The invention consists in the invention shownin its'preferable embodiment inthe accompanying drawings and will now be described and claimed.

In the aforesaid drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box having myinvention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a section through'the line22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken at right angles to that shown in Fig. 2.

Figs. 4: and 5 are perspective views of details.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by numerals: 1 designates theend of a journal box of any desired construction, to which a lid 3 is pivoted bymeans of a hinged joint 4. The lid is so constructed that it may be thrown open to a position at right angles to that shown in Fig. 1 or to the point where the stop 5 formed on the left hand upper end of the box contacts with a stop 6 formed on the box proper. When thrown open so that these two stops abut one against the other, the lid is in a position where its center of gravity is just to the left of a vertical line passing through the hinge 4. Therefore, the lid will stand in its open position so that the attendant may give proper attention to the interior of the box. At the same time, if an attendant carelessly leaves the box open, the moment the cars are coupled together or the moment any severe jerk is given the cars, the lid will be vibrated sufliciently to throw the center of gravity on the opposite side of the pivot so that the lid will automatically close.

The lid is furthermore provided with an interior flange designated by the numeral 8 which extends down the two sides and clear around the bottom so as to form a conlocking position shown in Fig. .2. The up tinuous groove designated by the numeral 9. This groove is designed to receive the front edge 10 of the box proper so that the front edge 10 of the box fits into the groove formed between the lid proper and its flange 8 and thereby forms an veii'ectual closure around both sides and bottomof the box opening.

V In order to automatically lock the door as it .is closed, I provide a latch like that shown in the drawings. As illustrated, the lid is provided with a pocket 12 formedby means of walls 13 and 14; cast integrally with the lid. IVithin the pocket is fitted-a sliding bolt 15 having a slot 16 therein and this bolt is held in position by. means of a pin or rivet 17 which passes through the two walls forming the lid and the pocket 12. A spring 18 is employed to normally hold'the sliding bolt in the position shown in Fig. 2 and from said figure it will be readily seen thatthe sliding bolt may be moved tothe limit of the slot 16 on the aforesaid pin or rivet 17, against the tension of the spring 18. Ofcourse as soon as the bolt is released the spring will move the bolt 15 on the pin 17 to return thebolt to the er side of the bolt is provided with a fl'ange 2O constituting a cover for the top of the lid, thereby making thelid as tight as possible, and this cover 20 is provided with a hooked handle 21 by which the attendant may, with his waste hook, operate the sliding bolt and at the same time open the door, swinging it upon thehinge 4-. The inner face of the outside wall of tlie box 2 is provided with a lug 23 which is directly in line with the slanting edge 2% ofthe bolt 15 so that as the lid is closed, whether accidentally or by the attendant, the slanting edge 2% of the bolt 15 will strike against the lug 23, moving the bolt against the tension of the spring 11, and permitting the lid to close to the position shown in Fig. 1, when the spring 18 will force the bolt so that the latter will look under the aforesaid lug 23 as illustrated in Fig. .2.

From the foregoing and accompanying drawings it will be seen that I have provided a very simple lid for closing the end of a journal box and a device which will automatically lock the lid as it falls to its closed position, and at the same time provided a locking device which can be made at a very low cost and which cannot possibly get out oi order. In fact, exceptit'or that the side and bottom walls of the box opening are entirely closed by being received in the groove 9 formed around the bottom and sides of the lid so that the looking device is on the flange on the top of the lid so that there is no chance of grease working out of the sides and bottom of the lid. I deem this an important feature.

' What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a journal box, the combination of a lid hinged on one of its sides and closing downwardly in its own plane, said lid having a pocket in its upper corner opposite to that on which the lid is'hinged, a bolt sliding in said pocket and closing horizontally against the side of the box as said lid drops down in'position.

2. In a journal box, the combination of a lid hinged on one of its sides and closing downwardly in its own plane, said lid having a pocket in its corner opposite to that on which the lid is hinged, a bolt sliding in said pocket and having a spring to hold the bolt normally in locking position, said bolt also having a slanting edge closing against a part of the box and moving the bolt against the tension of said spring as the lid closes downwardly in position.

3. In a journal box, the combination of a lid hinged on one of its sides and closing downwardly in its own plane, said lid having a pocket in its corner opposite to that on which the lid is hinged, this pocket being closed to the interior of the box, and a bolt sliding in said pocket and closing horizontally against the side of the box as said lid drops in position.

4:. In a journal box, the combination of a lid hinged on one of its sides and closing Copies of this patent maybe obtained for Furthermore, it

downwardly in its own plane,said lid having a pocket in its uppercorner opposite to that on whichthelid ishinged, said pocket ing a pocket in its upper corner opposite.

to that on which the lid is hinged, said pocket being closed from theinterior ofthe box, a bolt sliding in said pocket, a spring for normally holding saidbolt outward but permitting it to yield as the lid closes, said bolt having a cover closing the opening through which the bolt slides.

6. In a journal box, the combination of a lid hinged on one of its sides and closing downwardly in its own plane, said lid having a' horizontal flange forming its upper portion, an opening through said flange, walls on the interior olf'the'lid forming a pocket under said openingclosed from the interior of the'box, and a sliding bolt in said pockethaving a member projecting through the opening in the top of said flange.

In a journalbox, the combination of a lid hinged on one'of its sides and closing downwardly'in its own plane, said lid having a horizontal flange forming its upper portion, -anopening through said flange, walls on the interior of the lid forming a pocket under said opening closed from the interior of thebox, and a sliding bolt in said pocket having a member projecting through the opening in the top of said flange and a part covering said opening.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two'witnesses. e

- PERRY BROWN. Witnesses:

i JoHNL. FLETCHER,

THoMAs E. ROBERTSON.

five cents each, by addressing'the "Gominissioner of I'atents,

Washington,'D.G. I 

